Crooks Chased from Red Lion to York by Police and Farmers in a Trolley Car
“ARREST MAN AFTER TEN MILE CHASE–FIND HATCHET AND SEARCHLIGHT.” So screamed front page headlines in the April 20, 1908 York Gazette.
What was the crime?
Chicken rustling.
When Abraham Grim, who lived near Red Lion, arose to feed his stock, he found that a 43 of his chickens were missing. He also noticed fresh horse and wagon tracks.
Constable Craley of Red Lion answered the call. Apparently, so did some neighboring farmers. The thieves “sold the fowls to Uffleman and Grove, dealers, near Red Lion, and the band of farmers soon recognized the chickens as the property of Grim.”
“Constable Craley learned that the two men [the suspects] had stopped at the hotel in Red Lion, and that while one started for York with the team the other boarded the Red Lion car. The constable and several farmers hurried [to York on the trolley] and Upp [the suspect] was arrested as he was driving the team into the livery stable.”
“He was taken to the office of Alderman May, where a warrant was sworn out for his arrest and served upon him. In default of bail he was committed to jail for the action of the grand jury. When searched at the office of the alderman Constable Craley found a hatchet in the lining of Upp’s pants and a searchlight in his pocket.”
The item goes on to say that “the whole affair occurred in less than six hours,” and that the known accomplice was expected to be arrested soon. It seems that the two men hired the wagon and team from the livery stables of David Deardorff, “stating they were going shad fishing down at the river.” It seems like the chickens might have been an easier catch. The thieves were a pretty easy catch too.
